Ethics refers to standards of conduct that indicate how
one should behave based on reasoned ethical principles and core or
universal values. Ethical principles are the rules of conduct that
are derived from ethical values. For example, "honesty" is a value that
leads to a series of principles such as: tell the
truth, don’t deceive, be honest, don’t cheat. In this way, values give
rise to many principles in the form of specific "dos" and "don’ts."

Ethics entails action; it is not just a topic to discuss.
In other words ethics is about thinking ethically and being
ethical.

Ethics, Morals and Mores

The terms "morals" and "mores" describe beliefs, customs
and traditions that are reflected in personal convictions about
right and wrong. Morals tend to be associated with
a personal concept of values, especially concerning matters of religion,
sex, drinking, gambling, lifestyle and so forth.

Most people have convictions about what is right and wrong
based on religious beliefs, cultural roots, family background, personal
experiences, laws, organizational values, professional norms and political
habits. These are not the best values to make ethical decisions by — not
because they are unimportant, but because they are not universal.

Moral Duty

Moral duties establish the minimal
standards of ethical conduct. Moral duty obliges us to act in certain ways
(e.g., honestly, fairly and accountably), as well as to not act in other
ways (cruelly, disrespectfully, etc.).

Moral Virtue

Moral virtue goes beyond moral duty. It refers to moral
excellence, characteristics or conduct (say, generosity or valor) worthy
of praise or admiration because it advances moral principle. Moral virtue
is an ideal - we ought to be charitable, temperate, humble and
compassionate; however, it is not unethical if we are not so long as we do
not harm others.

Universal
Values

Universal values are core beliefs or desires that guide or motivate
most peoples' attitudes and actions. They also define the things we value
and prize the most, and, therefore, provide the basis for ranking the
things we want in a way that elevates some values over others.

Ethical Values

Ethical values directly relate to beliefs concerning what
is right and proper (as opposed to what is correct, effective or
desirable). Some ethical values are trustworthiness, respect,
responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship.

Non-ethical Values

Most of what we value is not concerned with our sense of
ethics but rather with things we like, desire or find personally
important. Wealth, status, happiness, fulfillment, pleasure, personal
freedom, being liked and being respected fall into this category. We call
them non-ethical values because they are ethically neutral.
The pursuit of non-ethical objectives is normal and appropriate so long as
ethical values are not sacrificed in the process.

Conflicting Values

Our values often conflict. For example, the desire for
personal independence may run counter to our desire for intimacy and
relationships of interdependency. Similarly, in particular situations, our
commitment to be honest and truthful may clash with the desire for wealth,
status, a job or even the desire to be kind to others. When values
conflict, choices must be made by ranking our values. The
values we
consistently rank higher than others are our core values, which define
character and personality.

The Stakeholder
Concept

A person concerned with being
ethical has a moral obligation to consider the ethical implications of all
decisions. Each person, group or institution likely to be affected by a
decision is a “stakeholder”. The stakeholder concept reinforces our
obligation to make all reasonable efforts to foresee possible consequences
and take reasonable steps to avoid unjustified harm to others.

The
False Notion of "Personal Ethics"

Some believe that ethics are "relative" or "personal" but
this thinking usually reveals a misunderstanding of ethics.

Many people have a wider range of values and beliefs than
core, universal ethical values. Unfortunately, some people seek to impose
their personal moral judgments on others as if they were universal values. A bigger problem is that some people adopt
personal codes of conduct that are inconsistent with
universal ethical
values. Actions and beliefs inconsistent with trustworthiness, respect,
responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship are simply not ethical.

Imposing Value Judgment on Others

Ethical thinking requires an objective examination of
personal values, exposing certain beliefs (e.g., that one race is superior
to another) as wrong precisely because they conflict with
core ethical
values. But while we must insist on honesty and integrity over hypocrisy
and corruption, we cannot also claim that a particular religion, political
philosophy or sexual orientation is universally superior to
another. Indeed, allowing some
personal choice and conscience is critical to upholding the core ethical
value of treating all with respect.